Scrubber



w. e. LAIRD: SCRUBBER APPLICATION FiLED SEPT, 6,1916. RENEWED MAR.14,192!- Fajtented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILBUR G. LAIRD, on NEW YORK, n

Masses.

Application filed'September 6, 1916, Serial No. 118,649.

To all whom it may concern:

, "SCRUBBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Be it known that I, WILBUR G. LAIRD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ne'w'York, in the county ofNew York and State'of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scrubbers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to scrubbers and it comprisesan apparatus forproducing an intimate contact between gases or vapors and a liquid orliquids; said apparatus comprising .a. casing, one or more level orinclined perforated diaphragms spanning the interior of said casing;means foradjusting the angle of position of said diaphragmor'diaphragms, liquid sealing and over-flow means for said diaphragm ordiaphragms,

means for introducing a gas or a vapor, or

. both, at the lower portion and removing it at the upper portion ofsaid casing, and

means for introducing liquid for distribu-' tion on the said diaphragmor .diaphragins;

all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In scrubbing gas, alr, etc,

purities, for cooling,'for saturating with vapors of liquids or otherpurpose, or "11f scrubbing a liquid with air or gas for 0001- ing, orfor removing any to remove imvola'tile constituents or other purpose, itis desirable that the contact of the gas with the water:- or othersuitable liquid be as intimate as poswhich in practice is best securedby a sible,

bubbling contact between the two,

and it is also desirable that this shall be accomplished with as aspossible to not to create aalso through which little friction orresistance the passage of thegas so as high baclopressur'e, and it isdeslrable that the vertical distance the liquid must travel within theapparatus be reduced as much as possible, thus avoiding loss of head;for example,

in 'case an apparatus be employed for removing a small amount of ammoniafrom a large amount of gas,

the back pres sure' created against the passage of the gas may be ofconsiderable importance-then, again, in a case-where an apparatus isrequired to cool a large amount of Water, the loss of water head in theapparatus may be of considerable importance. The present invention hasfor an object, the production of a thorough contact between vapor orgas, or

both, and a liquid or liquids,

without at the Patented June 13,1922.

Renewed March 1 4, 1921. Serial No. 452,229.

samatime interposing great resistance to the. passage of the vapor orgas, or necessitatmg a high'head on the liquid or liquids. I have foundthat this result may be,at-. tained wlth a particular type of liquidcovered diaphragm which gives a substan tially uniform and thoroughcontact between l quid and gas whatever its lateral extens1on. Bysecuring uniform passage of gas through all parts of a layer of liquidon 'a wide diaphragm, obviously as complete a Washing can be obtained asby passing the gas serially through several narrow diaphragmswithout thegreater resistance of the series of layers of liquid on the latter.While I regard the apparatus, and shall hereinafter describe it, as moreparticularly applicable to purifying, condensing or treatfor the removalof ammonia,

Itisa further object of my invention to provide a simple, rugged type ofscrubher, readily constructed, assembled, .repaired, enlarged, cleaned,and adjusted.

To these ends I provide a casing of iron,

steel, or other suitable metal or material.

This casing may be composed of one or more annular sections, suchsections, where more than one is employed, being preferably united byflanged joints. 'At the bottom are an inlet for gas and an outlet forscrubbing liquid which may be water, ammonia solution, oil, or-any otherliquid. At the top are an outlet for gas and an inlet for scrubbingliquid. I On the inner peripherythese sections are flanged to providetrou h-like elements. Spanning the interior'of t e casirig is aperforated diaphragm with its edges sealed by the liquid in thesetrough-like elements which together form. one continuous trough for eachdiaphragm. The perforations-are small and adapted for passage of astherethrough Without much, if any, passage of liquid. It will beunderstood that Y., assronon 'ro HENRY L. DOHERTY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

may be-level or set at an angle, and meansare provided for varying thisangle. Liquid coming from the top is received on the first diaphragm andcovers its top in film form. The thickness of this filmor layer dependsin part upontheangle' of the diaphragm and the amount or flow of liquidsupplied. I ordinarily provide the diaphragm with a rim or flange aroundits upper portion, making t, Soto speak, pan-like. The upward passmg gasgoes through the perforations and through and past the liquid film,producing the appearaneeofa boiling action and reat thoroughness ofContact between the liquid.

andthe gas. With perforations of the type 'ordinarilyemployed, say 1}diameter. and

with; the ordinary thickness of liquid layer on, the plate, nosubstantial amount of the liquid goes through these perforations but anydrip'there mayibe falls to the diaphragm next below.- In cases where acontinuous flow of liquid is required to pass through the-apparatus,practically all the liquid on the plate flows to'the liquid seal at thedischarge .end of the diaphragm and thence down to the next diaphragmbelow. Where it is not required'that the liquidpass in a continuouscurrent through the ap aratus, as incases'where the liquidis emp oyedmerely as an enricher for the gas, the diaphragm may be-setsubstantially level, and

onlysuch liquid as boils over the pan-like I edgesof the diaphragmor-passes through the perforations nds its wayto the bottom of theapparatus; the feed of liquid in such event being merely enough tosupply the loss caused by'evaporation. 'Where the plates are fixed,level or at any angle, instead of being movpredetermine able as they maybe, a liquid 'seal is necessary only at the end where the liquiddischarges from the diaphragm, and, in the event of the liquidv notbeing required to pass through the apparatus,jas'inthe'case of enrichingas mentioned above, 110 liquid seal whatever, is

' required, the diaphragms being fixed direct to the interior walls ofthe section. I

Inthe accompanyingillustration, I have shown the apparatus of the resentinvention 1, showing, Figure 1 is a view partly in eleva-. tion andpartly in vertical'section of a commore or,lessdiagrammat1cally. 'Inthis "T plete apparatus under this invention, composed of Y a pluralityof adjustable diaphragms; the half view to the right being in"elevation, and,'-

Figure 2 is a view in central vertical section in" a directionflat rightangles to the view in Figure 1'.

In this apparatus,th'e scrubber or gas-andliquid contacting device 'ismade up of a -uid to be used, its absorptive power, etc.- Circumstancesalso govern the size and the ner peripheryof the section' The form oftrough.difi'erssomewhat in section, this di-f- 'ference depending' onits relations to the 0 diaphragms which it engages. The casing -rnay beround-or squareor an other desired shape or size; the preferre form isrectangular. The shape and sizeof the casing and the number ofdiaphragms to'be used depend upon circumstances; uponthe gas or vapor tobe treated, and the amount of wash ing to which the gas or vapor is tobe exposed as well as the amount of washing liqpitch of the holes of thegas. It is found in practice that the passage of gas through uniformperforations in such a diaphragmis substantially equalat all points,that is, there is substantially the.. same amount of gas passing througheach provided for the passage perforation. There is not a greater tend-1ency for' the passage of gas at one'point. than at another when a liquidfilm of equal thickness covers the diaphragm. Such being the case,obviously any desirednumber of square feet'of area of diaphragm ,(or

which is the same thing, area of liquid on 106' the diaphragm) may besecured with a' diaphragm of any shape, but with a given-flow of liquid,different dimensions of diaphragms and different numbers of diaphragmswith diflerent size and numbers of holes, give a 110 difference. in thelength of time to which the given amount of liquid is exposed to thegas; give a difference in the time contact factor as,,does the methodofqdistribution of liquid on the diaphragms. For the same quantity ofliquid flowing down a long path has obviously alonger period of .contactwith the gas than when flowing in a broader and'shorter path; thevelocity of fiow bein in each case the .same. If the liquid be fed at aplurality of'points along the path of travel of the liquid on thediaphragm, obviously the time contact factor is again diminished.Therefore, in each case, it is necessary to shape anddimension thediaphragms .in accordance with the duty to be performed by the liquid inthe event that adjustment of the angle of the diaphragm with consequentchange in the speed of-flow of liquid is insufiicient. It is alsonecessary to perfo- The lower or discharge end of. the pan may rate thediaphragm with a suitable number and size of holes.

The top section provided with outlets 10 for gas-and inlets 11 forliquid which enters a special distribu ting device 12.

As shown, this distributing device forms a trough to which'is bolted asheet of metal or other suitable material 13, serrated at the top.Liquid coming in through 11 overflows the top of this sheet in a uniformmaneach of which is formedof a substaptially' horizontal perforatedplate; there being numerous's'mall perforations in each plate of such asize as to allow the passage of gas therethrough without much downwardpassage of liquid and each plate being. sufficiently inclined to thehorizontal to causeliq flow thereover at a desired rate of speed.

Each of these plates has an upward projecting rim 16 converting it intoa sort of pan.

have a lower and serrated projecting rim or weight of all the perforatedplate no rim at all, but preferably has a slight projecting rim serratedto retain the desired liquid film when the plate is maintained in alevel position. The lower portion of the plate is provided with anotherprojecting rim or downward continuation 17. This downward continuationat one end enters and seats on the bottom of the described trough member9, while at the other end it depends into the deeper portion ofthetrough but does not go to bottom thereof. The downward continuations atthe sides enter their corresponding trough sections and engage thebottom thereof only when the plate is at its greatest inclination. Eachof the 'deep-end troughs is provided with a liquid directing plate likethat used in controlling the inflow of the liquid into the top section(plate 13--14:). Each of the perforated plates, as shown, is connectedwith an angle changing device consisting of a linked vertical bar 18,pivoted on horizontal bar 19. This horizontal bar in turn is pivotallyconnected with adjustable bar 21 at 22. In the apparatus shown, 18 maybe a piece of pipe acting as a spreader between plate 15 and the pivotalconnection to 19; each of the spreader members between the plates maylikewise be a pipe section of proper length. Through all these pipesections may pass a flexible steel cord, fastened at the bottom of thelower perforated plate member and at the top to the pivotal connectionon bar 19. Thus, the flexible steel rope takes'the members, the pipespreaders'acting to keep these plates in proper relation to each other.Thus the or covering dome is further angle of flow of the liquid film isalways maintained the same on each plate member regardless of what thatangle may be.

'Windows 23 may be provided for watching the operation.- These windowsas shown are discs of glass like those used 'foi watchcrystals, mountedon threaded hollow members.

lVhere it is desir ble to draw off or in:

troduce liquid at/iniermediate points. as in using two differentcurrents of liquid, this I may be. done by inlet and out et connections24;. In such an event, one plate between the point of outlet and thepoint of inlet does not function and may-be omitted or removed.

In the use of the described structure, water Iorother liquid havingscrubbing .or other functions, enters at 11 and overflows at 12,

I then running down 13 and 14:, until it is elivered on the tdp plate ordiaphragm 15 at one; end. Down this top perforatedplate it runs as, athin layer until it overflows at 1p. "The liquid overflowing from thetop. perforated' plate into the trough in which the downward flange orrim 17 enters, \liquid seals such-flange and fills the trough until itoverflows past plate 13 to the next perforated plate below, and so ondown through the apparatus until the liquid accumulating in the basechamber is taken off at 4. It may, of course, be thencooled or otherwisetreated if necessary and returned toll. The liquid may be cooled in thebase section. It will be noted that these plates are not parallel buteach successive plate is inclined in an opposite direction. This is notessential but acts to decrease the head required for a given number ofplates; the rate of flow of the liquid downward over the platesdepending upon this inclination. Each plate as already stated rests onthe bottom of the trough at one end while depending into the continued(although slightly changed) {part .of the same trough at the other end.This arrange ment allows the inclination of the plates to be changed andmeans are provided for doing this during operation, thereby permitvaporis introduced at 1 and passes successively up through each of theperforated plates (four are shown) until it escapes at 10.

The flow. of the gas through the perforations in the plate preventspractically entirely the downward passage of liquid therethrough andsince each plate bears a runing liquid over such partitionssuccessively;

/ hing film or layer of liquid, the gas bubbles through this film.

Ina case where the vapors from the liquid only are to be used as in thecase of enric'hv liquids, a casing having means for intro- 5 ing gasj bypassing gas through a volatile liquid hydrocarbon, the perforated plate'may be fixed and level without liquid seal or ,fiowing liquid; freshliquid only eing supplied to make up for evaporation.

What I claim is 1- 1. In a device for contacting. gases with liquids, acasing having means for introducing gas at the bottom. and withdrawingit at the top, trough shaped elements around the inner .walls of saidcasing, a plurality of ning said casing and seating at one end onthe-bottom of the troughs, means operable! from the outside of saidcasing for moving One end of the plates up and down and means forflowing liquid over such inclined -partitions successively. i

2. In a" device for-contacting gases with liquids, a casing having meansfor introducing gas at the bottom and withdrawing it at the top, troughshapedelements deeper at ,one side than the other around the inner wallsof said casing, a plurality of substantially horizontal perforatedplates .supported Within the casing, each provided with an upwardlyextending rim and a down- -'war dly extending rim, said downwardlyextending rim extendinglinto a trough shaped element and seating onfth'ebottom thereof at shallower portion,- and means for flow.-

I 3. In a device for contacting gases with liquids, a casing havingmeans for introducing gas at the bottom and -withdrawingit at the top,trough shaped elements around the inner wallsofsaid'casing, a pluralityof nearly horizontal. inclined plates supported within the .casingand,each-provided with an upwardly extending rim and av vdown wardlyextending'rim, vthe downwardly extending rim of each plate extendinginto one of said trough shaped elements and seatingv on the bottomthereof at onefend, said upwardly extending rim of each platebeingserrated at the lower endof the plate, and, over such i nclined"means for flowing liquid partitions successively.

at the top, trough shaped elements deeper at one side than the otheraround the inner walls of said casing, a-plurality :of nearly horizontalinclined perforated plates supported in the casing andeach provided withwardly extending rim, said downwardlyex tending rim extending into atrough shaped element and seating on the bottomthereof at its shallowerportion, said'upwardly exrated plates inclined to the'horizontal and.each provided with an upwardly extending -bottom thereof at itsshallower portion, a plates inclined to the horizontal and spansuchinclined partitions succesively.

I ,ing gas at the bottom and withdrawing. it an upwardly extending rimand'a' down-,

ducing gas at the bottom and withdrawing it at the top;trough'shapedelements deeper at one side than the other around the innerI Walls of 'said casing, a plurality of-perforim and a downwardlyextendin rlm, said downwardly extending rim exten ing into a troughshaped element and seating on the vertical member connected to allsaid-plates,

longitudinally movable means extending outside the casing and connectedto said member and means for flowing liquid over 6. Ina device forcontacting gases with liquids, a casing 'having'means forintroducinggas' at the bottom'and withdrawing it atthe top,trough-shaped elements deeper at one side than-the other around theinner walls ofs'aid casing, a plurality of perforated plates supportedin the; casing and inclined to the horizontal and each provided, with'an' upwardly extending rim .and a3,

downwardly extending rim, said downw'a'rdly extending 'rim' extendinginto a v trough. shaped element" and seating on the f bottom thereof atits shallower portion, a

vertical member connected to all said plates, a-horizontal barpivotallyconnected to the upperend of said rod-like member, a screwthreadedmaisihg and lowering device extending through thetop'of thecasing and connected to the end'of said horizontal bar, andimeans forflowing liquid over'such inclined partitions successively. a 7. In adevice for contacting gas withliquid, a casing having meansfon-introduding gas at the bottom and withdrawingit atthe top a plurality ofperforated'partitions supported on and spanning saidcasing, theperforations in said partitions having' an area which will prevent aliquid from r passing downwardly therethrough while gas for adjustingthe inclination of said partitions; means for preventing the passage of4. In a device for contacting gases with liquids, a casing havingmeansffor introduc, ing gas at the bottom andIwithdrawing-{it' ispassing upwardly therethrough; means the next lower partition. 1

8. In a device for contacting gases with liquids; a casing having meansfor introducat'the top; a plurality of inclined movable perforatedpartitions spanning said casing and engaging its Wall's, theperforations in wardly therethrough while ermitting gas to pass upwardlytherethroug means operable from the outside of the casing to change theangle of the inclination of said partitions; and means for flowingliquid over substantially the entire area of the inclined partitionssuccessively.

9. In a device for contacting gas with liquids; a casing having meansfor introducing gas at the bottom and withdrawing it at the top;stantial horizontalpartitions spanning said casing, the perforations in.said partitions having such a size that they. will prevent liquid frompassing downwardly therethrough while permitting gas to pass up aplurality of perforated subwardly therethrough; means for distributingliquid across the entire width of one edge of the upper partition;liquid seals arranged at oppositeendsof alternating par- 20 tit-ions touniformly distribute liquids flowing downwardly from one partition tothe next, across the entire width of the partitions; and means forpreventing the pass-- sage ofgas between the edges of the part? 5*.tlions and walls of the casing.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signatur

